As Britta Hodge casually chats on her mobile phone her teenage son, Logan, sits nearby, a beach towel slung across his shoulders as his hair dries in the warm afternoon breeze.

It’s a typical Manly beach scene, but one that would not have played out 12 months ago. Instead, Logan’s family would have likely been battling to just get him out the front door of their home, let alone to a family day out at the local water park.

Ms Hodge and her family have been living with Logan’s online gaming addiction for more than two years. It’s an obsession that has overwhelmed them, forced his mum to leave her job to become a fulltime carer, and led to a bitter daily dance of push-pull.

The timing of Logan’s addiction is roughly the same amount of time he’s owned his Sony PS4.

Ms Hodge thought nothing of letting her son spend his savings on the gaming console. It seemed like a good outlet for him to cope with the breakdown of his parents’ marriage.

Logan and his mother Britta on a family day out in Sydney. (Supplied)

The harmless distraction turned into a debilitating addiction for Logan and emotionally drained his mother and his five siblings.

Logan has been addicted to games such as Call of Duty, Ark, Destiny, Minecraft and multi-player shooter game, Fortnite.

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The teen’s addiction was so severe he would only leave his house once a week. He was also diagnosed with ADHD and suffers from high anxiety.

However, around five months ago things changed for the teenager: Logan appeared to loosen his grip on his habit.

“It’s been a massive year,” Ms Hodge tells nine.com.au. “Logan has gone in leaps and bounds.”

After months of seeking medical advice, the teenager is now attending a special bridging school where he has slowly increased his hours of class attendance to full days.

Britta and Les on their wedding day with a photo of Logan at the beach. (Supplied)

“He started off going for an hour a day,” Ms Hodge said, adding that she would wait at a local coffee shop for him before picking him up and taking him back home.

“We’re trying to get him out of the house - it’s not always successful.”

Ms Hodge attributes the change in her son to a number of factors - none the least her persistence as a mum as well as engaging in different “tactics”.

One such tactic has included using a device called Parent Power – which controls every device that comes into the house. The device has meant Logan’s online gaming time has been limited.

“I blamed myself for everything - as mothers do,” Ms Hodge said.

“We just want to be able to take our children’s pain and heartache away.”

Fortnite is one of the world's most popular games. (Epic Games)

However, as Logan shows improvement with each passing day, she is now starting to feel like she’s “achieving my job as a mother”.

She believes the love and support from her partner Les has played a huge part in repairing her family’s bond.

“He’s walked every step of the way with me … amazing man,” she said of having Les by her side for the past two years.

“He’s stepped up to the mark. It wouldn’t be easy, a single mother with six children.”

The pair rounded out 2018 by eloping to New Zealand on New Year’s Eve.

Les and Britta on their honeymoon in New Zealand. (Supplied)

“We told all the children on Christmas Eve. It was a quiet affair, just what we wanted,” she said of her wedding to Les.

“We will celebrate it throughout the year with family and friends.”

As well as family and friends, Ms Hodge also believes the online community she and Les foster together has been a great source of support.

The couple set up the private Facebook group ‘Online Gaming Addiction’ as a safe space for parents and those suffering with the online obsession. To date, the group has more than 1000 members.

“Setting up the Facebook group has made us realise that the problem is bigger than what we can see,” she said.

Sydney teen Logan after a day at the beach in Manly. (Supplied)

“We want to speak out and try and get our kids some help. We have over 1000 people on our group… people succeeding and struggling. It’s a space to vent and to feel we’re normal.”

in January last year the World Health Organisation classified "Gaming addiction" as a mental health condition. The international body's International Classification of Diseases stipulated that abnormal gaming behaviour should be evident over a period of 12 months or more before it is classed as an addiction.